Kenya losses close to KSh 826 billion annually to counterfeit products

By Rading Biko

Every year Kenya losses close to a trillion shilling due to counterfeit and other forms of illicit trade. This represents 9.3 per cent of its Gross Domestic Product. This was revealed by Anti-Counterfeit Authority.

Ms Fridah Kaberia, the Acting Executive Director at the Anti-Counterfeit Authority in a past event .[ACA File]

“The National Baseline Survey on Counterfeit and Other Forms of Illicit Trade in Kenya, the total size of illicit trade was estimated at KSh 826 billion in 2018, having risen from KSh 726 billion in 2017 translating to 8.9% and 9.3% of GDP respectively.” Confirms Ms Fridah Kaberia, the Acting Executive Director at the Anti-Counterfeit Authority.

Ms Kaberia was speaking during the commemoration of the World Anti-Counterfeit Day.

This year’s event was organized globally by the Global Anti-Counterfeiting Group (GACG).

The counterfeit authority pledges to introduce ACA’s Intellectual Property Recordation System for all imports into the country in a bid to scale up the war on counterfeit products.

Ms Kaberaia “Recordation is a game-changer in the war against counterfeits. We are seeking to create an Intellectual Property Rights Database that will be used by our officers at border points to easily flag counterfeits before entering the Kenyan market. As Kenya embraces innovation and technology, this IPR Recordation measure will use image processing software to assist custom and border point inspectors to have brand information and counter the entry of counterfeits into the country.”

Kenya like any other economy is facing the wrath of countering and illicit trade that is affecting the government’s development agenda.

The day brings together National and international IP organizations to raise public awareness of the negative impact of counterfeit and pirated goods on the health, safety, and security of consumers.

This year’s theme, “Leveraging on Technology to Combat Counterfeiting”, went at par with the planned launch of ACA’s Intellectual Property Recordation System for all imports into the country.

Globally illicit trade creates an annual drain on the world’s economy of USD2.2 trillion – nearly 3 per cent of the entire globe’s economy.

This implies the potential of this trade is wiping out the manufacturing sector, thus deeming the country’s prospect for industry-led trade development.